Fighting Words

 You know that part in the book when Naveah recommends a book to Della about a family that has to live in their car and she reads it and thinks it's meh and tells that to Naveah and Naveah gets a little upset because it meant so much to her? I *think* that's how 11-year-old me would have reacted had Della recommended her story to me. Like, I don't think she (me) would have been able to relate to the story enough that it would have resonated. And I know 11-year-old me would have been absolutely horrified, scandalized, mortified by Della's and Suki's experience with Clifton. These, of course, are only conjectures based on what I remember of myself 25 years ago. I can tell you that 36-year-old me thought this book was important and could be very useful to kids & adults everywhere. I am still disgusted by any story of sexual abuse, but I have (sadly, sadly) grown accustomed to them. 

I was very impressed by the way Della stands up to Trevor near the end and tells him with eloquence and assertiveness not to touch her when she doesn't give permission. Honestly, I was left wondering, "But could an 11-year-old even DO that?" I literally couldn't do that as a 20-something. I still remember the first time I actually used my words to say no. I was 27. Want to hear the story? It's short. I was at a friend's house during a snowstorm playing games with several people. A guy there made fun of me for something and I got fake mad (I was a little annoyed, but not mad) and approached him to respond. He was sitting on the couch and I was wearing a knee-length pencil skirt. I tripped and, due to limited mobility caused by my skirt, I landed face-first on the couch with my stomach on this guy's lap. Almost as an instinct, he spanked me. I got up, grabbed him by the lapels (literally) and screamed, "Don't you EVER touch my butt again. Don't you DARE touch my butt." He covered his face with his hands and said, "I'm sorry" over and over again until I stopped screaming. So, yeah, I found my voice. Eventually. As an 11-year-old, though? Not a chance.  But maybe, just maybe, if I had read this book at that age, I could have. 

P.S. Della using versions of "snow" for swear words was absolutely hilarious.

P.P.S. I have had foster-parent thoughts running through my head the last 48 hours since I finished this. Could I do it? A part of me wants to.